TAUNTON Pride has recently announced the date for this year's event.

It will take place in September 2024, and the first edition was organised back 2021.

Here is how the Somerset County Gazette covered the event three years ago.

Taunton was bursting with Pride during a special event at the weekend.

The inaugural Taunton Pride event took place across the town on Saturday (July 17), with the focus on Goodland Gardens, which played host to a range of stalls, shows, and more.

Taunton Pride was billed as a ‘celebration of arts, culture and inclusivity’, bringing people together in stunning sunshine.

Co-organiser Jenny Keogh, of GoCreate which was a leader in putting on the event, said she was delighted to finally be able to get Taunton Pride off the ground.

“It’s been a long time coming for a lot of people,” she said.

“We’ve been beavering away for about two years now, trying to get plans ready.”

The coronavirus saw last year’s event called off, but for hundreds of people enjoying the sunshine in Taunton on Saturday, it was finally a chance to let their hair down.

During the event, your County Gazette wanted to find out what it meant to the people there.

A familiar face to the county, Dionne John, otherwise known as Mrs Somerset Galaxy, said: “Pride means a lot to me because there are still 70 countries where it's still illegal to be gay, lots of people still getting killed because they are gay.

Sparkling in her rainbow outfit, she added: “I think it’s so important to come together to celebrate diversity and all be together as one.”

Spotted with her entourage, on a break from hosting the Mambo Stage, was Arina Fox.

The drag queen said: “Taunton Pride, what it means to me is that you can be free, you can express yourself and not be afraid of who you are.”

This being Taunton’s first Pride event made it especially poignant for Arina, who added: “Love is love and just being able to see people being able to hold hands and express themselves in any way shape or form is amazing, and that’s why I love Pride.”